A campaign to re-open the Ivanhoe rail line to passenger services has been given a boost after the leaders of both the city and county councils pledged £10,000 each to fund a survey looking into the possibility.

The branch line takes freight between Leicester and Burton, but has had no passenger trains since 1964.

The city's Sir Peter Soulsby and county's Councillor Nick Rushton, are now calling on Derbyshire County Council, Staffordshire County Council, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Blaby District Council, North West Leicestershire District Council, South Derbyshire District Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council to make up the rest of the £60,000 needed to fund the survey.

In a letter to the leaders of other authorities Coun Rushton, leader of Leicestershire County Council, proposed upper tier authorities put in £10,000 and districts contribute £5,000.

The Leicester to Burton line (Image: Burt Wynn)

In the letter, he said: “We had previously commissioned a study which pointed to the significant capital investment which would be required, as well as ongoing revenue subsidy.

“However, the government’s strategic vision for rail highlighted the importance of local passenger routes, and HS2 provides a fresh opportunity to look again at reopening what would be a valuable asset to our areas."

The railhead, which Coun Rushton says he thinks will be in Sinope, would be used to bring in the vast amounts of construction materials needed for the project.

The councillor said that work to the line to allow for the railhead could be a good starting point for the improvements needed to bring the passenger line back into use, and that rather than return the line to its current form, changes should be made to allow for passenger trains to use the route again.

He told members that the cash is there, if other authorities are willing to pledge their support also.

City mayor Sir Peter, who has agreed to chip in £10,000, said: “The line is probably the line in the country with the best prospects of being re-opened for passengers.

“Were it to ever happen it would be great for getting traffic off the city and county’s roads. It would be great for Leicester, Leicestershire and further afield.

“What we need now is for the district councils to show their commitment too.”

CRIL's proposed station list

The Campaign for the Re-opening of the Ivanhoe Line (Cril) was set up to lobby for passenger trains to run on the line again.

Chairman Geoff Bushell said: “We certainly welcome the news and would like to say that we’d like to be a part of any study that does happen.

“It’s excellent to hear that both Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council have agreed to fund part of the survey.

“The reality is that it takes an hour-and-a-half by bus from Coalville to Leicester, and that’s not good enough.

“Re-opening the line would be a way for us to benefit from HS2, which, currently, we don’t stand to do.”

A recent survey by the group suggested the route between Leicester and Burton should include stations at the King Power stadium, Meynell's Gorse, Bagworth and Ellistown, Coalville, Ashby, Moira, Gresley and Drakelow.

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Mr Bushell said: “This isn’t a definitive or final list. There’s potential for stations at Desford or Kirby Muxloe as well.

“We’re just canvassing opinion and mostly people think it would be a good idea, and, more importantly, people say they would use it.

“We think that in previous studies there has been an underestimation of use and an overestimation of costs.

“We haven’t heard from any of the authorities involved yet but look forward to hopefully doing so.”